This application relates to information collecting and decision making based on networks of sensors and communication nodes and applications in security monitoring, security warning, counter-terrorism, and other applications associated with information collecting and decision making.
Various detectors or sensors can be used to obtain information from targets and such data collection from targets can be automated by using computers and computer networks to store data from the detectors or sensors and to analyze the data from the detectors and sensors to make decisions. Examples of such automated data collection, processing and analysis systems, among others, include computer-based warning systems for generating early or timely warnings of natural and man-made disasters or hazardous events in various applications including security and counter-terrorism applications.
Some warning systems may require human intervention to either perform the threat analysis or to recognize when a significant threat is presented and to initiate the warning. For example, the tsunami early warning system is one such system. In that system, seismic information is collected and sent to a hub for processing. The information is analyzed to determine the likelihood of tsunami generation. If there is a high probability of tsunami generation, a warning is issued to local, state, national and international users as well as the media. These users, in turn, disseminate the tsunami information to the public, generally over commercial radio and television channels. Next, sea level data is gathered and analyzed to determine the presence of an actual tsunami. If a tsunami is detected, the warning area may be enlarged. Such a system relies upon central data analysis and human intervention for providing the warning as a result, the processing of large amounts of data is limited because its reliance on the central hub and human analysis.
In another example, a tornado warning system combines data from various sources and human decision making to trigger outdoor sirens. The system partners the National Weather Service, local emergency response agencies, and major industries to provide the necessary communication and coordination. A major source of data in the system is a network of trained volunteer storm spotters and Ham Radio operators. These groups all work together to make up an integrated system of hazard detection, consequence prediction, and warning dissemination. National Weather Service meteorologists use information from weather radar as well as the network of trained spotters to issue severe weather warnings.
Attempts have been made to increase automation of such warning systems by using computer processing and communication networks. Examples of such systems are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,169,476 entitled “early warning system for natural and manmade disasters” and issued to Flanagan and U.S. Pat. No. 6,930,596 entitled “system for detection of hazardous events” and issued to Kulesz et al.